“I Am Severely Damaged” — Kemi Olunloyo Breaks Silence on Childhood Trauma, Family Rejection, and Her Father’s ‘Bondage’
LAGOS, NIGERIA — Controversial media personality and self-styled investigative journalist Kemi Olunloyo has once again sent shockwaves across the country with a raw, deeply personal revelation about her lifelong trauma, fractured family ties, and her decision to walk away from journalism for good.
In a post that has since gone viral on social media, the 59-year-old daughter of the late former governor of Oyo State, Victor Omololu Olunloyo, opened up about her harrowing past, including surviving a sexual assault at age 13, her strained relationship with her father, and why she never married.
“I am especially severely damaged from the se@ual attack trauma of Ikorodu Rd as it’s April 28th (1978) again,” she wrote.
“It is one of the reasons I never married and just had children.”
The journalist claimed she had been robbed of affection and the will to trust or love a man ever since the abuse, adding that the experience permanently changed the course of her emotional and personal life.
Olunloyo, known for her controversial takes and online rants, stated that she currently lives alone in a one-room apartment, having relocated multiple times in the past two years. But now, she says, she is “finally at peace.”
“My Father Put a Charm on My Career”
Perhaps the most explosive part of her confession was her accusation against her late father, whom she claims spiritually sabotaged her career in journalism.
“I begged through fundraising and donations to work for so long because my own father clamped a charm bondage on my career,” she alleged.
“He never liked me being a journalist. He never wanted my education to supersede his.”
Olunloyo also denounced the media industry in Nigeria, stating that many outlets branded her “mad” and refused to support her work for over a decade. As a result, she declared her permanent retirement from journalism, a profession in which she had been both celebrated and condemned.
“I cannot return to journalism as I’ve retired twice and have no interest anymore,” she said.
A Wave of Support Amid the Pain
Despite the dark tone of her message, Olunloyo acknowledged an overwhelming outpouring of support from Nigerians who have reached out, offering gifts and prayers.
“God will lift me. I appreciate all your gifts. Continue to pray for me.”
Her message has sparked a nationwide conversation on mental health, sexual violence, childhood trauma, and the often-taboo topic of dysfunctional family dynamics among Nigeria’s elite.
As Nigerians reflect on her confessions—raw, unapologetic, and deeply personal—many are asking tough questions about how society supports survivors, especially when their voices come wrapped in controversy.
